Sudanese refugee shot to death at border
IDF officials believe man shot in head by Egyptian security forces while crossing into Israel. 'The Egyptians have once again shown how they treat miserable refugees,' says spokesman of Committee for the Advancement of Refugees of Darfur
An IDF force was dispatched to the area and attended to the refugee. He was then rushed to the Soroka Medican Center in Beersheba, where he died of his wounds.
Eytan Schwartz, a spokesman for the Committee for the Advancement of Refugees of Darfur (CARD), told Ynet in response to the incident, "The Egyptians have once again shown how they treat miserable refugees.
"The Israeli government should remember this if and when it begins expelling refugees back to Egypt."
Schwartz added that this was the fourth time Sudanese refugees were shot at while attempting to cross the border.
Refugees continue to flock to Israel
Elisheva Milkovsky of the "Negev students for the refugees" organization told Ynet, "This is part of Israel and Egypt's mishandling of the refugee problem. Since the Egyptian side was ordered to take a hard line against the refugees trying to cross the border, we have been witnessing more and more incidents such as this one, and this problem must be taken care of."
Many Sudanese refugees cross the Egyptian border into Israel every day. Mussa, the father of four, told Ynet recently why he decided to infiltrate Israel.
"In 2002 I decided to leave Sudan and crossed the border into Egypt. Now and again I managed to find a job teaching English at a church or cleaning. I lived in fear in Egypt.
"Because I am a refugee, I received protection and the UN and immigration agency gave me a small place to live in, but the conditions were very hard. My family and I began thinking of an alternative. Along with a group of 20 people, we decided to flee in a car and cross the border into Israel.
"The Sudan government confirmed in the past that I should I return to the country I would face a death sentence. I arrived in Israel as a refugee fleeing his expected death and I am in desperate need of protection."
